New series, same problems for Orioles in 8-3 loss to Reds

BALTIMORE — Momentum sure can dry up in a hurry.

Coming off their first series victory and back-to-back wins of the season, the Orioles jumped out to an early lead against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night and Cade Povich cruised over his first two innings. The ingredients were right there to secure a real winning streak and pull within a game of the .500 mark.

Instead, Povich completely unraveled, surrendering three home runs — including a pair of three-run blasts to shortstop Elly De La Cruz and second baseman Matt McLain — as Baltimore dropped its series opener, 8-3. Cedric Mullins and Heston Kjerstad both left the yard to power the offense, but the rest of the lineup combined for just one hit.

Outfielder Austin Hays, making his return to Camden Yards for the first time since the Orioles traded him at last season’s deadline, went 2 for 4 with two singles and a walk. The home fans gave him a standing ovation ahead of his first at-bat and the Orioles played a tribute video on the center-field scoreboard after the first inning, prompting a salute from Hays to the crowd.

Povich’s season was off to a shaky start heading into Friday’s game, but he had managed to avoid disaster, posting a 3.60 ERA over his first three outings. His command had seemingly improved after he struggled to limit walks as a rookie last season, and opponents hit only one home run against him. However, Povich reverted back to his early 2024 form, issuing five free passes in addition to the three long balls.

The first homer by De La Cruz nearly stayed in the yard. Cincinnati’s star shortstop hit a flyball to straightaway center field that bounced off the top of the wall back into the outfield.

Umpires ruled the ball landed in play but replay review overturned the call citing Camden Yards’ Ground Rule No. 5, which states, “The metal support pipe and pole caps directly behind the left centerfield and right centerfield outfield wall are recessed and Out of Play. Ball in flight striking the support pipe or pole caps: Home Run.” It was the same rule that came down in favor of the Orioles on Thursday when Ryan O’Hearn hit a similar spot in right-center.

Cincinnati ultimately tagged Povich for seven runs in 3 1/3 innings before manager Brandon Hyde turned the game over to the bullpen. The Orioles’ rotation raised its collective ERA to 5.57, second highest in the major leagues behind only the starters of the high-elevation Colorado Rockies (5.73).

The Orioles’ offense, which scored 15 runs against the Cleveland Guardians over the previous two games, continued its struggles against left-handed pitching. Hyde gave Jackson Holliday the day off to stack the lineup with right-handed bats opposite Reds southpaw Andrew Abbott, but the University of Virginia product struck out 11 hitters, one short of his career high. He allowed two hits in six innings, with both coming off the bat of left-handed hitters: Mullins’ solo home run and a single by Kjerstad that was aided by De La Cruz slipping on the grass.

Right-handed batters combined to go 0 for 11 with eight strikeouts against Abbott.

Baltimore’s bullpen was well-rested after Tomoyuki Sugano completed seven innings on Thursday and Dean Kremer pitched into the sixth the day before. Scott Blewett, recently claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins, took over for Povich and allowed one unearned run over 2 2/3 frames to prevent the evening from turning into a true bullpen game. The run scored in the sixth when a shallow flyball by Hays landed between three Orioles defenders in right field and Jorge Mateo, starting in place of Holliday, threw the ball away at second base.

The Orioles (8-11) did tack on a couple of runs against the Reds’ bullpen when Kjerstad took right-hander Scott Barlow deep 407 feet to right in the eighth. Gary Sánchez singled up the middle to set up the Orioles’ outfielder, who homered for the second straight game and third time on the young season.

Instant analysis

The Orioles entered play Friday with a .538 OPS against left-handed pitchers, fourth worst in the major leagues. (Cincinnati ranked the third lowest at .505 but knocked the lefty Povich around anyway.) Despite Hyde’s efforts to give the Orioles plenty of platoon advantages — typically at the expense of playing time for Kjerstad and Holliday — they’re 1-4 in games against lefty starters, averaging 2.6 runs per contest.

A significant factor here has been the slow starts of many Orioles right-handed hitters. Jordan Westburg, who has been playing through an “upper-body injury,” is hitless in his past 28 at-bats dating to April 6. Ryan Mountcastle has a .616 OPS on the season while bench bats Mateo, Sánchez and Ramón Laureano have all gotten off to slow starts amid sparse playing time.

There might not be an obvious hole on their roster, but the Orioles could soon find themselves in need of top prospect Coby Mayo’s power bat in the lineup if their numbers against left-handers don’t begin to improve.

On deck

The Orioles plan to call up pitching prospect Brandon Young to make his MLB debut against the Reds on Saturday, giving their reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award winner his first chance to test his deep repertoire against a major league lineup. Since last season, Young is 6-5 with a 3.33 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 23 games (21 starts). Cincinnati will counter with Hunter Greene, the 2017 No. 1 overall draft pick who has a 0.98 ERA through four starts this year.